In general, DRM (Digital Rights Management) may refer to a comprehensive digital content protection technology which can prevent illegal reproduction and use of digital contents and allows only users who have a legitimate authority to use digital contents. DRM provides a comprehensive protection framework over the distribution of digital contents. For example, DRM converts digital contents into encrypted data of a pack type using encryption technologies so that corresponding contents can be used only through a lawful certification procedure.
This DRM has become a base of stable and legitimate content services while being associated with a variety of content service models. In reality, current content service providers adopt their unique DRMs in order to protect their servicing contents.
However, on one hand, DRM has several limits in order for users to use contents to which the DRM has been applied because the DRM has a very exclusive characteristic from technology and policy points of view. Users may recognize the limits as inconvenience.
Accordingly, systems, which can support a free use of contents while maintaining the security of DRM contents, have recently been proposed. A representative example is a domain system. The domain system employs the concept of a domain as the basis unit of a DRM trusted framework. The domain may refer to a collection of certificated devices or software systems. Certified devices registered with the domain can use DRM contents freely within an authorized range while sharing the contents.
The domain system can be configured by defining the functions of entities for configuring the domain and adequately associating the entities therewith on the basis of physical association environments of the entities. In particular, one of the most important factors in configuring the domain system lies in the configuration and operation of a domain management entity that manages a domain. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for a technology, which is able to efficiently configure and operate the domain management entity.